A 1-day sensitisation programme on the effective prevention and management of fire incidence has been organised by the Management of Owerri Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). 

The sensitisation programme was organised for the staff on basic fire fighting & fire safety at the centre, Owerri, Imo State, took place at the premises of the centre. 

Speaking at the occasion, Centre Director, Dr. Juliana Ndunagu, charged staff to take lessons learned seriously, adding that she invited the two experts on fire safety from the Federal Fire Service, Owerri, to enlightening the staff on ways of handling fire incidents and precautions necessary to save lives.

One of the resource persons, Mr. Kelechi Nwodu, said that the training was divided into interactive and demonstrative sessions. 

In the interactive phase, Nwodu explained that fire safety refers to a set of practices or measures that intend to reduce causes of fire outbreaks, adding that fire safety is everybody's business. 

Nwodu highlighted the three elements of fire, namely: fuel, oxygen and heat and in order to manage these elements, one must ensure that burning materials are not placed near source of ignition. 

According to him, it is necessary to check for damages on all electrical appliances and endeavour to report any of such cases to the appropriate quarters. 

Nwodu elaborated on the four classes of fire, which are: Class A involving free burning materials, Class B involves flammable liquids, Class C is fire that involves flammable gases and Class D is fire that involves metals. 

While highlighting methods of extinguishing fire to include starvation, cooling and smouldering,the expert advised staff to be cautious in matters relating to fire as carelessness, wrong placement of match boxes are the causes of fire outbreaks. 

He said the first thing to do once one notices a case of fire outbreak is to raise an alarm and switch off the control switch immediately. 

Nwodu counselled the centre to obtain the necessary equipment like extinguishers, smoke detector, fireproof doors, which are preventive measures. 

The second resource person, Mr. Ikenna Nwachukwu, demonstrated the practical aspect of it where he showed the three methods by which fire can be extinguished.

All the security officers and some other staff members of the centre participated in the exercise. 

In delivering a vote of thanks, Mrs. Ogechi Anyanwu, commended the centre director for initiating the training, describing it as enlightening.